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The Last Wild Witch by Starhawk
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Cover of The Last Wild Witch
The Last Wild Witch by Starhawk, illustrated by Lindy Kehoe is special, right from the paper up. It is printed on recycled paper using a soy based ink, so it's an eco-fable that puts it's money where it's mouth is. On the inside cover, it even has the information about what resources were saved by using recycled paper (21 full grown trees and 4, 658 gallons of water). It's published by Mother Tongue Ink, who publishes the We'Moon Datebook. This is their first children's book.
The story itself is about a town that is "perfect", with rules for everything, and who's citizens never break them. That is until the children of the town get a little magic in them courtesy of the last wild witch who lives in the last magical forest that stands on the edge of the perfect town, and spends her time tending her cauldron. After the children get a taste of wild magic, they begin to break the rules (such as turning cartwheels in the grass). The adults are not happy about this turn of events and make plans to put an end to the wild forest. The children make up their minds to fight to save it.
This wonderful book tells a fable about saving the forests - the wild magic! - without being preachy. Though it contains a witch, it's a story for everyone who loves nature, lives green, and knows about the magic of being in the forest.
The writing in this book is magic in itself. It has a beautiful rhythm that makes it a perfect read aloud book. As the most important character in the story, the witch only has one line of dialog, which she repeats throughout the story. The line is written in a way that will make young children want to chime in when they realize it's coming during a read aloud. The Last Wild Witch is also written simply enough that kids a bit older can happily read it themselves.
Besides being so well written, it is also a book of the times; a way of helping kids to realize that yes, adults have tried to suck the natural magic out of this planet, but you can make a difference! You can work to change things, and you can even teach your parents a thing or two. A lot of the wild places might be gone, but we can work to save what is left and try to heal the rest the best we can.
Illustrator Lindy Kehoe creates a rich, lush, swirly world in The Last Wild Witch with simple, yet gorgeous paintings. From the fabulous royal purple endpapers to the to the trees that are bursting with life and the children that are themselves the richest colors of the earth and sea, rarely has a book had such inviting pages. Together, Starhawk and Lindy Kehoe have together created their own wild magic.
For a full list of Examiner articles by this author click here. For more from this author, visit Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom.
Courtesy of Mother Tongue Ink
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